In late September, when the heat of July and
August has subsided a little, the character of Vera Playa
changes and quietens down from the summer buzz of holidaymakers,
the traffic and the full restaurants. This is when the
snowbirds, the grey rinse brigade, the "semigrants", call them
what you will, arrive to escape the winter in northern Europe.

Daytime temperatures in the low 20s throughout
the winter months attract naturists from the UK, Holland,
Germany, France and even the Scandinavian countries to travel
thousands of miles for the warmth and the beautiful light that
we experience here in Southern Spain. It is possible to sunbathe
from about 11am until 5pm on most days and it doesn?t get dark
until 6pm at the winter solstice, which is a great improvement
on the UK.

So what would you do here all winter apart
from sunbathe?

Well, you can learn Spanish for a start. Vera
council runs free Spanish classes for immigrants. You attend
twice a week for approximately 2 hours a lesson. It is no
problem if you have to return to your homeland for a few days or
weeks, you just go and then slot back into the class when you
return. The brief of the teachers is to integrate you into the
community, so, not only do you get language tuition, they also
take you out to visit places of local interest and bring you up
to speed on all the local fiestas and cultural events. With them
we have visited Belens (local model nativity scenes that are
part and parcel of the Spanish Christmas), local peace rallies,
been to vineyards in the Alpujarras and a fiesta in the hills
with a giant paella and dancing for everyone, to name but a few
events. Through them we have got to know about and have been to
see cultural events in Vera such as the Bolshoi Ballet, the
Chinese State Circus, musical concerts and Book Fairs.

There are plenty of bars and restaurants
open all winter in the naturist zone and in the surrounding
area, although two of the most popular, Tigger's (noe Ina's) and Benito's
both close in the winter. Tigger's, from October until Easter,
and Benitos from about November until February. Well, I suppose
they are entitled to their holidays as well!The popularity of different bars varies
from year to year but you can normally find a crowd out for
sundowners and tapas if you want company. Newcomers are always
made welcome, as in any naturist community.

If you like sport, there are several good golf
courses in the surrounding area. There are indoor heated
swimming pools on three of the naturist urbanisations, Vera
Natura, Bahia de Vera and Torremar Natura and, on La Menara,
they do heat their pool in the winter, although it is outside.
There are tennis courts with professional coaches to teach you
tennis nearby and a sports complex at Puerto Rey a couple of
kilometres away.

There are several groups that go out
walking regularly in the surrounding area so there is always one
that is the right length for you and it is an ideal way to meet
people.Many of the men enjoy fishing in the sea
(you need a license from the council) and even occasionally
catch something!The Sierra Nevadas are Spain's top skiing
resort. They are only just over two hours away by car near
Granada. While you are in the area you can visit the Alhambra
Palace, go Christmas shopping in Granada and see the fabulous
Christmas lights. (Oxford Street and Blackpool eat you heart
out!)

Weekly events nearer to home in the
Naturist "village" include Sunday boules competitions, "stitch
and bitch" (a group that gets together to do handicrafts) and
quiz nights. There is a lace-making group in Turre that many
ladies attend on Wednesdays and there are several art and card
making classes in the local textile area if you like to be
creative.Just after Christmas the local naturist
community organises a concert in aid of Asprodalba, a local Home
for disabled people. This is normally a themed revue of local
talent singing, dancing and performing sketches and afterwards
everyone gets up to dance to one of the local bands. It is
amazing how many people have hidden talents and enjoy
performing. Rehearsals become more frequent as the day draws
near as everyone perfects their act. Other events, like
bar-b-cues, throughout the year, also raise money for the same
charity.

If you like exploring the local countryside
there are plenty of places to visit where you get more of the
Spanish atmosphere than you may get on the coast.

The scenery can be spectacular in the
mountains and there are lots of the little villages are worth a
look. Many of these villages, like Lubrin where we now live,
have local fiestas in the winter months.

Lubrin holds its first fiesta of the winter in
October with a food competition. It starts on the Friday and
Saturday nights with bands performing in the local square. The
groups don't usually start until about 11pm and go on until
about 6 in the morning! Local woman cook regional dishes on the
Sunday morning and, after the judging, this food is then served
to the locals as tapas. It certainly helps if you know the
locals as the Spanish really don't know how to queue!

On New Year's Eve the local Mayor provides
free Cava and grapes to welcome in the New Year. It is
traditional to eat 12 grapes as the clock is chiming at
midnight, one for each chime. If you manage to do it (I have
given up trying!) it is said to bring you good luck throughout
the New Year. Then the dancing begins!!

The third fiesta in Lubrin, is a nationally
recognise three day event which attracts people from all over
Spain. It is held on the 18-21st of January and is the Fiesta
of San Sebastian or Bread Festival. The main event of this
fiesta is when locals carry an effigy of San Sebastian adorned
with bread rings through the narrow streets of the town. While
it is passing the crowds throng around and locals throw bread
rings to them from balconies, windows and roofs. You can imagine
the mayhem! Afterwards, when it has all calmed down the locals
set up tables in the square and have a meal together. And then
we are back to dancing again!!

So you can see that if you want to be involved
you can be. In fact sometimes it is hard to find the time to
sunbathe!

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